Speaker shares Ringling history

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

Joe Colossa has been interested in the Ringling family since he was 10 years old. A Connecticut native and fourth generation in his family to be part of the circus business, he did all he could to discover more.

“I was trying to read anything I could find,” said Colossa, who spoke about the Ringling family, and the well-known brothers of circus fame, at the McGregor Historical Museum’s fall event Nov. 5.

After reading “The Circus Kings,” written by Henry Ringling North, son of the Ringling Brothers’ sister Ida, Colossa said he was really hooked.

In 2000, he began working for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus, first as a popcorn vendor. In his 14 years with the circus, he eventually became assistant general manager of concessions, then served as train master of the mile-long train that carried the circus to 50 different cities over the course of a year.

Aside from collecting information about the Ringlings throughout his life, Colossa said he’s always enjoyed collecting family items. 

“I like their personal stuff,” he said, distinguishing himself from other collectors who focus more on Ringling circus memorabilia. 

Colossa said one piece of family history people continually encouraged him to buy was the Charles Ringling home in Baraboo, Wis. Eventually, Colossa and his wife, Carmen, who with her family is a motorcycle stunt rider with the circus, assented to touring the home. While in Baraboo, they also toured the Al Ringling home, which at that time was an Elks Lodge. They ended up falling in love with the over 100-year-old red stone mansion. The problem was, it wasn’t the house that was for sale.

That didn’t deter his wife, however, Colossa noted. Carmen encouraged him to contact the owners, just to see if there was a chance it could be purchased. So, he did. Ironically, Colossa explained, on the day he called, he discovered the Elks had agreed the night before to put the home on the market.

After two years of negotiations, the Colossas became part owners of the Al Ringling Mansion. Now, three years—and $200,000—into the venture, the home is going strong, said Colossa. Open year-round, the mansion offers guided tours and hosts roughly 30 weddings each year, thanks to a ballroom added by the Elks. In the next year, Colossa said the Al Ringling Mansion will also become a bed and breakfast, offering visitors the opportunity to sleep in furnishings used by members of the Ringling family.

Colossa said members of the Ringling family have become like family to him. They’ve shared many of the family’s personal belongings, including everything from the Charles Ringling home—the house in Baraboo Colossa was originally told to buy. To date, Colossa shared, 2,000 Ringling artifacts have been acquired for display at the Al Ringling Mansion.

“It’s a museum for the Ringling family as a whole,” he said. “There are a few circus things, but I like to focus on the family.”

That focus on the family had previously led Colossa to McGregor, to collect history. The Ringling family lived in the community from 1860-1871, Colossa said. Four of the boys—Charles, John, Henry and Alf T.—were born in McGregor. The family home still stands at 14463 Walton Ave.

Colossa said the Ringlings were first inspired by the circus as boys, when one (likely the Dan Rice Circus) planned to visit McGregor.

“They were down at the riverfront before the sun came up to meet the circus,” he explained. The family had little money, so they “ran down the street barefoot.”

“They heard the calliope music and watched the circus unload,” Colossa continued. “They proclaimed that day, when they grew up, they were going to be in the circus business.”

According to Colossa, the Ringlings nearly missed their chance to see the circus that day. They didn’t have the money to attend, and were later found sulking in their father’s harness shop. Luck was in their favor, though. An acrobat, originally from McGregor, was traveling with the circus. He knew the Ringlings’ father and asked him to repair a harness. When he refused to take compensation for the repair, the acrobat instead offered tickets for the family to attend the circus. 

The rest is history.

“Their very first circus and very first parade were right here in McGregor,” Colossa said.

Their very first ticket box, he noted, was their mother’s sewing box. The family hung onto it over the years and, today, it’s one of the items on display at the Al Ringling Mansion.

“They learned how to play music and did comedy. They put a whole show together,” Colossa said of the first venture. “They had a goat and a horse. Al did some trick riding.”

One of the circus’ features, Colossa added, was a moving picture show, created by using a candle to illuminate papers with scenes painted on them.

After their time in McGregor, the Ringlings moved on to Prairie du Chien, and eventually Baraboo, as their father sought out work. In Baraboo, the Ringling Brothers connected with cousins on their mother's side of the family, who helped with the circus business. 

By the late 1880s, the Ringlings had established a popular circus, Colossa said. The venture really took off in the 1890s, when they got a train.

“It opened up the whole country for them,” in regard to travel, Colossa stated.

In the late 1890s, the Barnum and Bailey Circus embarked on a tour of Europe. The circus returned several years later, to find the Ringling Bros. Circus had really taken over the United States. However, Colossa said, rather than compete with one another, the two circuses agreed to stay out of each others’ way, so they could both flourish. After Bailey’s death in 1906 (Barnum was also gone at that time), the Ringlings bought out the Barnum and Bailey Circus for $410,000 cash.

Today, Baraboo touts its Ringling circus history.

“Baraboo capitalizes on that history,” Colossa said, noting that McGregor can do the same. “The history here is just as deep, but a lot of people don’t really know about it.”